18+ | Commercial Content | T&Cs apply | Wagering and T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly | Advertising Disclosure

Dubai another for in-form McConnell yard

Roi De Dubai jumps the last under Mark BolgerRoi De Dubai jumps the last under Mark Bolger
© Photo Healy Racing

John McConnell recorded his sixth winner of the month, as Roi De Dubai made all in the Dr. E.F. Logan OBE Memorial Giltspur Scientific Handicap Hurdle.

Successful at Down Royal in June, the son of Dubai Destination unseated two out when travelling well in front on his next start at Bellewstown.

He since disappointed at Bangor, and having opened on-course at 8/1 this afternoon, he eventually went off a well-backed 11/2 chance in the colours of New York based owner Caroline Ahearn.

Sent straight to the front by Mark Bolger, he raced in a clear lead for much of the contest.

His advantage was reduced from two out, as The Jam Man closed, however the winner proved game in front, keeping on well under pressure on the run-in to score by a length and a quarter.

The Jam Man (5/1) had to settle for second under Danny Mullins for Ronan McNally, while the 7/2 favourite King's Song was another seventeen lengths back in third.

McConnell, who was successful with Liars Corner and Go Another One in the UK last week, said: "He jumped left (early) and It's not really his track. We might go left-handed next time even though both of his wins have been at right-handed tracks.

"If you bounce back to his previous two runs (before Bangor) I still thought he had a win in him.

"Obviously Bangor was disappointing but I have about six different theories why he didn't run well there - it was very, very warm over there, like swelteringly warm.

"He's just a galloper, he's tough. He's not a big horse. I have no plans, we might even put him away for next season. He'll jump a fence though. Listen if Listowel came up good or Bangor-On-Dee, we'll be somewhere!

"He got quite a bad injury in Bellewstown. He stood on the rail and the chifney bridle slashed through his tongue and he cut about 80 percent of his tongue. He came home and ate up that night but he had to get stitched up and everything. He's a tough horse to come back from that."

Additional reporting by Michael Graham

About Donal Murphy
Donal graduated from Maynooth University in 2010 with a BBS in Equine Business and since attained a diploma in Sports Journalism from Dublin Business School. He holds a variety of roles in the horse racing industry, reporting for the Press Association and p2p.ie, while also working for SIS and the Tote. From Wexford, he is a keen runner and has completed over 100 parkruns at various locations around the country.